leixlipTOWN RENEWAL PLAN - PUBLIC CONSULTATION
TOWN RENEWAL PLAN - UPDATE MAY 2021 INTRODUCTION
Leixlip Town A Focus on How Covid 19 has Renewal Sustainability Changed the Plan Way we Interact
The Strategic Projects and Public Realm Providing sustainable communities where COVID-19 has brought a sudden section of Kildare County Council and people can live, work and socialise is the unexpected change in how we socialise Metropolitan Workshop, in association cornerstone of the Town Renewal Plan. The and use our surrounding environment. with the community of Leixlip, are in the following high level aims will inform the These changes in how we live and work process of preparing a Town Renewal Plan emerging Plan. have placed stresses upon our town for Leixlip. The key objective of the Leixlip infrastructures, highlighting inadequacies Town Renewal Plan is to deliver a new vision but also opportunities to develop our for the town with pedestrian focused public They include: towns in a sustainable and progressive way. spaces and liveable streets. The aim is to Local parks, paths and outdoor amenities put the pedestrian and cyclist at the heart • Providing a mix of land uses to have become so important to our physical of the design solution for the town and to minimise transport demand by prioritising and mental wellbeing during this time. create fully accessible, inclusive and age- walking, cycling and public transport, and We have begun to interact more with our friendly public spaces. The Town Renewal minimise the need to use cars; home towns as we no longer commute and Plan will include a masterplan of the area • Delivering a quality of life which have more spare time to enjoy the natural with key priority regeneration projects and residents and visitors are entitled to expect, beauties which our localities have to offer. an implementation strategy for the town. in terms of amenity, safety and convenience At the same time, the pandemic has acted The Plan will also align with the policies and - presenting an attractive and distinct sense like an x-ray to our urban environment, objectives of the Leixlip Local Area Plan. of place with a quality public realm that is diagnosing symptoms of poor urban design easily maintained; where they exist such as the lack of open • Enhancing and protecting green space to encourage safe and enjoyable infrastructure/biodiversity and our built and social interaction. We realise that quality natural heritage; urban spaces are required in our towns • Reviewing the range of community in order to improve our quality of life, our and support facilities, where and when they health and wellbeing. are needed and ensuring they are easily leixlip
TOWN RENEWAL PLAN - UPDATE MAY 2021 Leixlip - Study Boundary leixlip
TOWN RENEWAL PLAN - UPDATE MAY 2021 CONSULTATION STEPS
Phase A – Start Up and Background Analysis (Q1 2020)
Timeline Refresher This phase consisted of the appointed design team carrying out site visits and background analysis to generate a set of plans which help our understanding of the town, its history and structure. Typical issues we looked at are existing land uses, open spaces, connections and linkages, public transport and movement Q1 Phase A network, building heights etc. This information helps the design team build a picture of the town and to better Start Up and understand the opportunities. 2020 Background Analysis
Phase B – Initial Consultation (Q2 2020)
This phase consisted of an online mini-survey, carried out from 5th to 19th of June 2020, which sought to get a snapshot of what residents thought worked well and what didn’t work so well. The team also met with local representatives to understand their hopes and concerns for the town. Learning about local strengths, needs, Q2 Phase B issues and challenges is a massively important step in the process of design development, and so engagement Initial 2020 Consultation and feedback is essential.
We are grateful to the respondents who completed our Community Mini-Survey, and the excellent additional comments submitted. As we embark on this exciting project, the feedback we received will help guide the project Design Team in the early design proposals and considerations. The results of this mini -survey are WE ARE HERE presented back as part of this consultation.
Q3 Phase C Phase C – Consultation (Q3 2021) 2021 Consultation This current phase consists of an online survey which will see wide communication of the project – its aims and objectives, how the engagement process will inform the project, how people can get involved, means of contact, etc. Using a new website, surveys, meetings with local stakeholders, electorate, public engagement we will be listening closely and gathering knowledge on local strengths, needs, challenges and opportunities. This initial communication stage will set out the context of the Town Renewal Plan and look for specific feedback on what proposals you would like to see brought forward. Q4 Phase D 2021 Design Stage Phase D – Design Stage (Q4 2021)
Following this consultation stage, preliminary designs will be drawn up which respond, where possible, to feedback received and transparently set out the rationale. These emerging ideas will be put on display and, depending on Covid restrictions, the website may be used to upload information and illustrate material. It could have a short questionnaire with a series of specific questions aimed to draw out useful responses.
Phase E Q1 Town Renewal Phase E – Town Renewal Plan (Q1 2022) 2022 Plan This phase would see the finalisation of the Town Renewal Plan and publication of the document. leixlip
TOWN RENEWAL PLAN - UPDATE MAY 2021 SURVEY FEEDBACK - RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS ENGAGEMENT Demographics
A wide cross section of the community was surveyed in terms of age profile and place and length of residence in Leixlip in order to inform a Kildare County Council and Metropolitan balanced picture of the present situation. Workshop, the Project Team have embarked on a Community and Stakeholder al Situ Engagement process since the initiation erson ation le Age Group? P ? of Leixlip Town Renewal Plan. Our aim is f peop who Student e o live to work closely with residents, business ag in nt L Did not e e answer owners and community groups who live rc ix Stay at e li and work in Leixlip so that their opinions P p home 2% Parent and observations are reflected in the plans 4% 2% 9% 7% In Unemployed Employment to improve the town. 12 1% 3% 2% (not living in Leixlip) An initial online survey was carried out from 17% 5th – 19th June 2020 with 723 respondents 29 to gain insights on what was seen as >75% >5% important to the residents of the town. Specific areas highlighted in the Local Area Plan were further investigated including 0-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure, 98% inadequate facilities (most notably a (living in Leixlip) swimming pool), night time activities (theatre/cinema/arts centre) with a particular focus on the sus tainable use of cultural and historical assets of the town and its environs. Where Do You Live?
In order to avoid repetition of survey 0% 10% 20% material amongst this group, we have collated feedback and comments from the ve you live Beechpark 6% ha d Captains Hill 15% initial survey on the following pages ong in L L eix Castletown 2% ow lip Celbridge Road 10% We are so thankful to all respondents to our H ? Easton 20% 39% 19% Elton Court 0% Community Survey. As we embark on this more than up to Glendale 2% exciting development project, the 1 generation 30 years Louisa 2% Leixlip Park 0% feedback we received will directly guide Oaklawn West 1% the project Design Team in the early design Oaklawn 1% Rinawade 7% proposals and considerations. 42% Riverforest 14% up to 30 years Rockingham 1% Ryevale 13% Station Road 1% Town Centre 1% Westfield 1% leixlip
TOWN RENEWAL PLAN - UPDATE MAY 2021 ON-STREET SURVEY - RESULTS - TRAVEL/TRANSPORT
u travel bey mployed, yo ond re e whe Do L u a re you travel with w eix o is o in o li y it D Le H Public p If In Leixlip ? Where do you shop? w ix (or within a o l Transport Other ip 2km H 11 % 1400 radius) bike 120 0 5% Cycling 1%% 8% within 5km 1000 13 % 800 600 Walking 8% 41% Car 400 54% 200
71 % 0 town centre out of town shopping other did not answer centres Other Dublin Car Areas 88% INSIGHTS
- Although walking holds a significant percentage of the means of local journeys, car transport still dominates. Walking and cycling infrastuctures between nodes of work, amenity and recreation from residential areas should be prioritised to further encourage the uptake of sustainable forms of travel.
- Commuting long-distance by car to work is common amongst the demographic surveyed (Potential to re-survey post Covid-19)
- Leixlip is presently marginally stronger in terms of local shopping habits, this must be encouraged and strenghtened. Further survey required to understand challenges faced by Leixlip town to compete in terms of retail offering
Would better foot- paths, cycle facilities safety for wa and road crossings Is travel congestion and/or of lkin inappropriate driver behaviour on g a encourage more ti n common in Leixlip? ep d walking and cycling? rc cy e c p Very l in No e No Safe g 26% th 8% a 15% is r o t u a n h Not safe d
26% ? W Safe 66% Yes Yes 74 % 85%
INSIGHTS
- Almost three-quarters of those surveyed (74%) regard Leixlip presently as a safe place to cycle or walk - Both cycling and pedestrian infrastructure is regarded as requiring improvement leixlip
- Traffic management measures need to be looked at to improve traffic congestion and pedestrian and cyclist safety TOWN RENEWAL PLAN - UPDATE MAY 2021 ON-STREET SURVEY - RESULTS - TRAVEL/TRANSPORT
Do you travel outside of public parks How far would you use & p Leixlip to use any other u la walk to use public yo yg d Never ro l u parks and sports or recreational u n o d playgrounds? facilities? w s 9% n i 5 e n t mins f 3% L o e i 31 % Rarley x No w 10% 20 30% l i 25% o p mins 10
? H 12 % 46% mins once Yes a month 75% 30% 29% 15 mins
several times a week
once a week INSIGHTS
- three quarters of those surveyed presently travel outside of Leixlip to access basic recreational facilities.
- Three quarters of those surveyed use a public park or playground in Leixlip at least once a week.
- Almost two-thirds of those surveyed are willing to walk 15 minutes or more to a suitable park or playground facility, this highlights the need to increase pedestrian and cyclist links between residential and recreational nodes.
- Further survey required to illustrate facilities used outside Leixlip and whether similar facilities could be sustainably provided or safe pedestrian and cyclist links made to these infrastructures.
How do you consider the quality Is Leixlip taking full advantage of of screetscape and landscaping it’s tourism generating potential, around Leixlip? particularly from heratage perspective?
7% 16% poor excellent Yes 9% 26% Average 51 % No Good 91%
INSIGHTS
- Over 90% consider the present streetscapes and landscaping of the town as average or better..
- Over 90% believe that Leixlip is not taking full advantage of its tourism potential from its heritage assets. leixlip
TOWN RENEWAL PLAN - UPDATE MAY 2021 KEY OBSERVATIONS HIGHLIGHTED IN SURVEY FEEDBACK
Village Centre Community Facilities
Free parking to encourage shopping Canal path and train stations and the The development of the Liffey path to When questioned on a lack of facilities, 62% of in Leixlip Village centre is a common undeveloped grounds of Catherine’s Park. connect the towns of Celbridge and Leixlip correspondents mentioned the lack of swimming suggestion made in the public survey. is also highlighted in several submissions. facilities in proximity to the town, followed by Respondents see the issue of paid parking parking facilities , 20% and the provision of an arts as a deterrent to shop local. Traffic calming and pedestrian prioritisation This lack of infrastructure was further centre/theatre, 13%. including the provision of pedestrian evidenced in the Pedestrian and A further common suggestion is to crossings and widened footpaths is Observational Survey carried out in April A common statement against the construction provide grant aid/incentives to property/ highlighted in several public submissions 2020 which outlined, ’A higher number of of further housing without infrastructural shop owners to improve/develop their in order to encourage active and safe use cyclists were observed during peak hours. improvements is made in many submissions. premises on the village’s principal streets of the village centre. This priority has been The cyclists were observed to be cycling on to bring activity back into the village further illustrated in the Leixlip Pedestrian the footpath at instances. The absence of Youth facilities including a BMX/bike park is core. A shopfront improvement scheme and Observational Survey carried out by cycle infrastructure is highlighted.’ (MDB, suggested for development in a number of survey is mentioned on several occasions within MDB in April 2020 which outlined the lack 2020) submissions. submissions. of formal pedestrian crossing(s) at the Main Street /Mill Lane Junction and that the Lack of maintenance and proper surface Reference is made in a number of submissions to Lack of activities/destinations within Leixlip pedestrian signal times presently impose conditions/ lighting/bins on present paths the development of boules courts in St Catherine’s Village is also highlighted within the survey, longer waiting times for pedestrians. A is highlighted in several submissions. Park, Fingal. common suggestions include leisure recommendation is made to consider facilities, swimming pool, theatre, cinema, reviewing pedestrian waiting times given riverside cafes/restaurants. the high level of pedestrian movement. Linkages to Heritage Swimming Pool This lack of activity is evidenced in the Pedestrian and Observational Survey carried out in April 2020 which outlined that 91%, 637 of individuals surveyed, agreed Our online survey revealed that one of the most pedestrian movements on the weekday Pedestrian & Cycle that Leixlip is not taking full advantage popular reasons for travelling outside the town were 33% higher than the weekend day. The of its tourism generating potential, was to visit the swimming pool. recorded footfall and significant differences Infrastructure – particularly from a heritage perspective. in numbers suggest a high inflow of The interconnectivity of Leixlip Castle, In answer to the question “what is the one change workers during the week which influence Interconnectivity St Catherine’s Park and the Castletown which would make the greatest positive impact pedestrian counts and may suggest a Demesne to the town and other heritage on the town?”, one of the most frequent answers lack of activities for the local population assets was consistently remarked upon. was the provision of a swimming pool in Leixlip. to engage with at the weekend.’ (MDB, Pedestrian and cyclist connectivity 2020, Leixlip Pedestrian and Observational infrastructure is highlighted in many of the Common concerns include the endangered While the provision of a swimming pool in North Survey,) survey submissions. Strengthened, direct, state of repair and vacancy of many historic Kildare remains a priority for Kildare County continuous and safe segregated cycle assets including the Town’s Main Street, The Council, a funding application for the construction The lack of connectivity to leisure/ connections between established amenity Wonderful Barn Complex, St Catherine’s of a pool in Maynooth to serve North County amenity/tourist sites is mentioned in many areas from residential areas is mentioned in Church, Gate and Stables, Leixlip Spa, Kildare was submitted to the Large Scale Sports submissions, particularly the inaccessibility many submissions, particularly from both Leixlip Castle Boathouse and canalside Infrastructure Fund. However, the final location of of Leixlip Castle grounds, The Royal train stations on the Royal Canal path. lodges. a swimming pool for North County Kildare may be subject to review. HOW CAN WE IMPROVE LEIXLIP
With your help, through the implementation of the Town Renewal Plan, the Strategic Projects and Public Realm team of Kildare County Council are planning improvements to further encourage the sustainable development of Leixlip. We are actively pursuing opportunities to rebalance our streetscapes into people-orientated rather vehicular-orientated spaces, prioritising compact growth and a town centre first approach to development and seeking to progress priority regeneration projects for the community of Leixlip. We are also committed to ensuring that climate action and the protection and enhancement of biodiversity is at the forefront of all projects. We are again asking for your feedback. What can we do to improve the place in which you live?
How can we get involved?
There is a comprehensive engagement process for the Town Renewal Plan which provides a series of opportunities for people to get involved. Feedback is sought from the community, stakeholders and interested parties by the Design Team to inform the process of moving towards the selection and design development of town renewal projects.
The engagement phases start with this introductory communications and information gathering phase, where we aim to gather feedback through a survey and discussions with key stakeholders. After considering views on this stage, we will return with a more detailed masterplan, and update you on how the feedback was considered in the design approach. Again, you will have the chance to feedback on this.
While COVID-19 has severely challenged the possibility of holding physical consultation events, we aim to hold virtual events and meeting. Further information will be available in the coming weeks on the website at https://consult.kildarecoco.ie/browse and also through local media.
How can I access the information if I cannot use the internet?
We aim to provide all information available on this website (https://consult.kildarecoco.ie/browse) on a print friendly pdf that can be downloaded. If possible we will also provide information at public locations in the area such as the library and community centres. leixlip
TOWN RENEWAL PLAN - UPDATE MAY 2021 PRIORITY PROJECTS
Wonderful Barn
The Wonderful Barn is a well known landmark, noted for its unusual bottle-like design. Bounded on either side by two dovecote towers, the Wonderful Barn appears to have been used as a granary, a place to keep a large stockpile of grain in case of another famine. As it can be viewed from certain windows inside Castletown House, it is also believed that the architecturally unique building was intended to add character to the landscape. The structure is adjoined by a large two-storey residence called Barnhall House, with a walled garden.
A certain amount of conservation works has taken place however the Leixlip LAP suggests that the the Wonderful Barn in particular presents an opportunity to attract tourists to Leixlip and to support the development of a heritage trail through the town, linking the town centre to The Wonderful Barn, Castletown House and other historical demesne lands within and around the town.
The Leixlip Town Renewal Plan would like to promote The Wonderful Barn as an integrated tourism and amenity destination with complementary commercial uses to be informed by a detailed conservation and management plan. We would like your ideas on how this unique structure could be used in the future.
Main Street
The Main Street would benefit a range of streetscape improvements allowing it to function as a people focused town centre amenity with an emphasis on sustainable mobility. This could be combined with investment in the upgrade and regeneration of existing properties and commercial premises, extending to appropriate infill developments which would significantly enhance Main Street. leixlip TOWN RENEWAL PLAN - UPDATE MAY 2021 PRIORITY PROJECTS
Ralph Square and Riverside Walk
1 Ralph Square Ralph Square is a small square opposite Captain’s Hill which has the potential to link the Main Street to the riverside. While the area is too small to form a square of civic proportions it does have the potential to create a very attractive space due to its narrow entrance and the small scale of the surrounding development.
There are a number of existing commercial uses located along the square which attract vehicular traffic reducing the potential to create a pedestrian centre. In addition, to the south of the square which opens onto the River Liffey walkway, there are a number of derelict properties. The regeneration of this area has the potential to attract enterprises which stimulate pedestrian movements through this space connecting Main Street to the River Liffey.
Imagecapture:Apr2017 ©2021Google Leixlip, County Kildare
Street View
Leixlip Spa
The Leixlip Spa is situated close to the Royal Canal, at Louisa Bridge and was discovered in 1793 by a group of workmen excavating the canal. The spa was widely used over the years but since the 1960s it has fallen into disrepair. To preserve the spa, a committee was set up from members of Kildare County Council, An Taisce, Duchas and the Irish National History Museum.
The Leixlip LAP aims to support the implementation of the conservation plan for the restoration and management of Leixlip Spa in association with key stakeholders. It has the potential to form a string of recreational facilities, supplementing other existing amenities such as the River Liffey, the Royal Canal and Greenway, Leixlip Castle and St. Catherine’s Park. leixlip
TOWN RENEWAL PLAN - UPDATE MAY 2021 LEIXLIP PROJECT AREA Main Street/Mill Street/Captain’s Hill Urban Realm Improvements
Key Development Area Outlined in LAP
Historic Landscape/Building Complex - To be sensitively developed as public amenity
Public Parks/Amenity areas/Green Verge
Existing Pedestrian/Cyclist Route
RIVER RYE ROYAL CANAL ROYAL CANAL Proposed Pedestrian/Cyclist Route
Train Station ROYAL CANAL Children’s Playground RIVER RYE LEIXLIP VALLEY PARK SPA RIVER RYE WATERFALL
AQUADUCT ROYAL CANAL LEIXLIP SPORTS FACILITIES ST CATHERINES PARK COLLINSTOWN KDA ROYAL CANAL
SILLEACHAIN VALLEY BLACK AVENUE PARK KDA ST CATHERINES CHURCH GATE & STABLES RIVER RYE
LEIXLIP VILLAGE RIVER LIFFEY
LEIXLIP GATE WONDERFUL BARN LEIXLIP KDA KDA CASTLE LUCAN DEMESNE
CELBRIDGE ROAD WONDERFUL BARN EAST KDA STABLE COMPLEX
RIVER LIFFEY CASTLETOWN DEMESNE
RIVER LIFFEY
leixlip
TOWN RENEWAL PLAN - UPDATE MAY 2021